Franz Kafka (1883–1924) was one of the major German-language writers of the 20th century. He was born to middle-class Jewish parents in Prague. Trained as a lawyer, he worked in the insurance industry until his early retirement after contracting tuberculosis in 1917.

Kafka published only a few short stories during his lifetime; all of his novels (The Trial, The Castle, Amerika) were published posthumously by his literary executor, Max Brod.